18 May 2012, Yangon: The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UN Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Ajay Chhibber, paid an official visit to Myanmar from 14 to 18 May.
In the country’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw, Mr. Chhibber met with the Vice President Dr. Sai Mauk Kham, the Speaker of the Amyothar Hluttaw U Khin Aung Myint, the Minister of National Planning and Economic Development U Tin Naing Thein, the Minister for Border Affairs Lieutenant General Thein Htay, Minister for Environmental Conservation and Forestry U Win Tun, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs U Maung Myint to discuss UNDP’s new programme.
UNDP is preparing a normal country programme in Myanmar that responds to the current economic and democratic progress and which promotes sustainable development and poverty reduction. UNDP proposes to increase assistance to Myanmar in order to support the historic transition in the country.
The new programme will focus on sustainable inclusive community development, climate change and disaster risk reduction, and democratic governance. UNDP will give high priority to the promotion of livelihoods in cease-fire areas, in support of the peace-process. Mr. Chhibber welcomed the constructive discussions with senior government officials and international development partners in finalizing the programme and stated that, “UNDP’s programme will place a special emphasis on capacity development and addressing and supporting the national reconciliation and democratic transition for the benefit of Myanmar’s people”.
Mr. Chhibber also spoke at an Aid Coordination Retreat in Mandalay. The meeting was co-hosted by the United Nations and Japan International Cooperation Agency to discuss international assistance coordination. He stated that “More assistance is needed as well as better aid coordination in alignment with national development priorities in the country”.
In Yangon, Mr. Chhibber discussed UNDP’s new programme priorities with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. At the Myanmar Development Resource Institute, Mr. Chhibber, presented the 2012 Asia-Pacific Regional Human Development Report on climate change, “One Planet to Share: Sustaining Human Progress in a Changing Climate”. He concluded that “Asia Pacific needs faster growth and poverty reduction but with a smaller carbon footprint”.
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For UNDP media enquiries in Myanmar, (Mr.) Alex Nyi Nyi Aung +95-1-542910 to 19, nyi.nyi.aung@undp.org. Further information on UNDP updates can be found at http://www.mm.undp.org.
About UNDP Myanmar: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life in 166 countries. UNDP has been implementing the Human Development Initiative (HDI) in Myanmar since 1994 to provide support to poor communities in areas of food security, primary health care, environment, HIV/AIDS, and training and education. UNDP currently works in more than 60 townships around the country. UNDP’s initiatives target the most vulnerable communities and work to improve opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.